Reservoir for a lubricant pump

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a storage reservoir for receiving grease or the like lubricant for a lubricant pump with a, for example, cylindrical side wall ( 2 ) and a cover wall ( 3 ) closing off the reservoir interior space ( 5 ) at the top, in which a pressure compensation device ( 4 ) is disposed such that the reservoir interior space ( 5 ) is flow-connected with the reservoir exterior space ( 6 ) via an air-permeable but water-impermeable membrane.

[0001] The invention relates to a storage reservoir for receiving greaseor the like lubricant for a lubricant pump.

[0002] The task of the present invention is to implement such a storagereservoir such that a dependable pressure compensation during operationis possible even under water.

[0003] This task is solved in such a storage reservoir with, for examplea cylindrical side wall and a cover wall closing the reservoir interiorspace at the top, thereby that in the cover wall a pressure compensationdevice is disposed such that the reservoir interior space isflow-connected with the reservoir exterior space via an air permeablebut water impermeable membrane.

[0004] This ensures that an underpressure generated in the reservoirinterior space, if lubricant is drawn from the storage reservoir by thelubricant pump, can at any time be compensated by the slip-streamingair. However, due to the properties of the membrane, water cannotpenetrate into the reservoir interior space.

[0005] For simple assembly the membrane can advantageously be integratedinto a machine screw which, in the proximity of a throughlet channel ofthe pressure compensation device can be screwed in.

[0006] Said air-permeable but water-impermeable membrane can comprise,for example, a textile material, onto which polytetrafluoroethylene(PTFF available for example under the tradename Teflon) is applied. Suchmaterials are known, for example, under the brand name “Goretex”.

[0007] So that, in the event the storage reservoir is overfilled withlubricant, not only the displaced air but also lubricant can reach thereservoir exterior space via the pressure compensation device, in afurther development of the inventive idea the pressure compensationdevice comprises an outlet valve which opens in the event of overfillingwith lubricant.

[0008] Said overfill outlet valve for air and lubricant preferablycomprises a radial shaft sealing ring, which under pressure from outsideforms a seal and whose soft sealing lip under pressure from inside liftsfrom a seal seat.

[0009] For the purpose of simple assembly and reliable functionaloperation the pressure compensation device can be tightly clamped in anopening of the cover wall.

[0010] The pressure compensation device can for this purpose comprise anupper part and a lower part, which can be clamped in an opening of thecover wall by interspacing a sealing ring in order to avoid leakage.

[0011] To obtain a compact structure it is of advantage if the upperpart coaxially penetrates through the lower part with a center plug, onwhich the seal seat for the radial shaft sealing ring is developed,leaving free a minimal annular escape gap for air and lubricant.

[0012] In further development of the inventive idea a check valve can bedisposed in the throughlet channel comprising the membrane of thepressure compensation device, viewed from the direction of the reservoirinterior space in front of the membrane, which valve closes underoverpressure obtaining in the reservoir interior space, which preventsthat the membrane located further toward the outside comes into contactwith lubricant.

[0013] For the purpose of simple assembly and reliable functionaloperation, the pressure compensation device can be tightly clamped in anopening of the cover wall.

[0014] The invention further proposes that for easier assembly the upperpart can be centered with a circumferential edge on the lower part.

[0015] Additional objectives, characteristics, advantages andapplication feasibilities of the invention are evident based on thefollowing description of embodiment examples in conjunction with thedrawing. All described and/or graphically represented characteristics bythemselves or in any combination form the subject matter of theinvention, independently of their summarization in the claims or theirreference back.

[0016] In the drawing depict:

[0017]FIG. 1 a storage reservoir comprising the invention in obliqueview,

[0018]FIG. 2 a top view onto a pressure compensation device in the uppercover wall of the storage reservoir according to FIG. 1,

[0019]FIG. 3 a vertical section through the pressure compensation devicealong line B-B in FIG. 2,

[0020]FIG. 4 a side view of the pressure compensation device accordingto FIG. 2, and

[0021]FIG. 5 a vertical section through the pressure compensation devicealong line A-A in FIG. 4.

[0022] The depicted storage reservoir 1 serves for receiving grease orthe like lubricant for a (not shown) lubricant pump. The storagereservoir 1 has a cylindrical side wall 2 and a cover wall 3 closing offthe reservoir internal space 5 at the top. A pressure compensationdevice 4 is disposed in the cover wall 3.

[0023] The pressure compensation device 4 comprises in a throughletchannel 17 a membrane, which extends in an upper part 12 of the pressurecompensation device 4 coaxially to it and integrated in a machine screw[head] 23, which can be screwed in from above, which membrane isair-permeable but water-impermeable. The machine screw 19 is sealed offat its periphery by means of a sealing ring 21.

[0024] In the throughlet channel 17 beneath the membrane is disposed anoverpressure valve 27, whose valve body 7 under overpressure in thereservoir interior space 5, occurring, for example, when filling thestorage reservoir 1 with fresh lubricant, is placed upwardly against asealing seat. This prevents lubricant from reaching the membrane andimpairing its function. If, in contrast, lubricant is drawn out from thereservoir interior space 5 by a (not shown) lubricant pump, thegeneration of underpressure in the reservoir interior space 5 is avoidedthereby that air can slip-stream from the reservoir exterior space 6into the reservoir interior space 5 through a supply slot 24, remainingfree beneath the machine screw head 23, and the membrane. In the processthe overpressure valve 27 opens. The movement path of valve body 7 isdelimited by a sleeve 18 of synthetic material placed from below intothe throughlet channel 17.

[0025] The upper part 12 comprises a circumferential edge 20, with whichit is centered on a lower part 13 of the pressure compensation device 4.Upper part 12 and lower part 13 have a somewhat greater diameter than anopening 11 in the cover wall 3. In this way, upper part 12 and lowerpart 13 by interspacing a sealing ring 14 can be tightly clamped on theedge of the opening 11 by means of clamping screws 25.

[0026] The upper part 12 projects with a center plug 15 through thelower part 13 leaving free an escape gap 16 for air and lubricant in theevent of overfilling. Above the escape gap 16 on the center plug 5 [sic:15] is developed a sealing seat 10 for a radial shaft sealing ring 9,such that an outlet valve 8 is formed. As evident in FIG. 3, the radialshaft sealing ring 9 has a sealing lip above the escape gap 16, which,under pressurization from the inside, can become raised from the sealingseat 10, such that excess air and lubricant can escape through radialoutlet channels 26.

[0027] In this way a storage reservoir for a lubricant pump is provided,in which an air pressure compensation takes place during filling as wellas also during emptying of the reservoir interior space with lubricant.Yet, utilization under water is possible. When overfilling [thereservoir], further the escape of lubricant via the pressurecompensation device is ensured without the air-permeable butwater-impermeable membrane coming into contact with lubricant and isimpaired in terms of its function. The pressure compensation deviceforms an easily mountable structural unit.

List of Reference Numbers

[0028]1 Storage reservoir

[0029]2 Side wall

[0030]3 Cover wall

[0031]4 Pressure compensation device

[0032]5 Reservoir interior space

[0033]6 Reservoir exterior space

[0034]7 Valve body

[0035]8 Outlet valve for air and lubricant

[0036]9 Radial shaft sealing ring

[0037]10 Sealing seat

[0038]11 Opening

[0039]12 Upper part

[0040]13 Lower part

[0041]14 Sealing ring

[0042]15 Center plug

[0043]16 Escape gap for air and lubricant

[0044]17 Throughlet channel for air

[0045]18 Sleeve

[0046]19 Machine screw with integrated membrane

[0047]20 Circumferential edge

[0048]21 Sealing ring

[0049]22 Threads

[0050]23 Machine screw head

[0051]24 Supply slot for air

[0052]25 Clamping screws

[0053]26 Outlet channels for air and lubricant

[0054]27 Overpressure valve

1. Storage reservoir for receiving grease or the like lubricant for alubricant pump, with a, for example, cylindrical side wall (2) and acover wall (3) closing the reservoir interior space (5) at the top, inwhich a pressure compensation device (4) is disposed such that thereservoir interior space (5) is flow-connected with the reservoirexterior space (6) via an air-permeable but water-impermeable membrane.2. Storage reservoir as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that themembrane is integrated in a machine screw (19), which can be screwed inin the proximity of a throughlet channel (17) of the pressurecompensation device (4).
 3. Storage reservoir as claimed in claim 1 or2, characterized in that the membrane comprises a textile material ontowhich polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon) is applied (Goretex).
 4. Storagereservoir as claimed in one of claims 1 to 4 [sic: 3], characterized inthat the pressure compensation device (4) comprises an outlet valve (8)which opens if [the reservoir] is overfilled with lubricant.
 5. Storagereservoir as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the outlet valve(8) comprises a radial shaft sealing ring (9), which under pressure fromthe outside forms a seal and whose soft sealing lip under pressure fromthe inside lifts from a sealing seat (10).
 6. Storage reservoir asclaimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that thepressure compensation device (4) is tightly clamped in an opening (11)of the cover wall (3).
 7. Storage reservoir as claimed in one of thepreceding claims, characterized in that the pressure compensation device(4) comprises an upper part (12) and a lower part (13), which can betightly clamped in an opening (11) of the cover wall (3) by interspacinga sealing ring (14).
 8. Storage reservoir as claimed in one of thepreceding claims, characterized in that the upper part (12) coaxiallypenetrates through the lower part (13) with a center plug (15), on whichthe sealing seat (10) for the radial shaft sealing ring (9) isdeveloped, leaving free a minimal annular escape gap (16) for air andlubricant in the event of overfilling.
 9. Storage reservoir as claimedin one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the throughletchannel (17) of the pressure compensation device (4) in which themembrane is disposed, viewed from the reservoir interior space (5) infront of the membrane a check [sic?: overpressure] valve (27) isdisposed which closes under overpressure obtaining in the reservoirinterior space (5).
 10. Storage reservoir as claimed in one of thepreceding claims, characterized in that the upper part (12) can becentered on the lower part (13) with a circumferential edge (20).